Systems and methods for configuring devices in a network supporting VLANS

Abstract

Systems and processes are provided for configuring sensory devices within a vehicle. In general, a system includes a computer readable storage medium that stores at least one configuration instruction. The system further includes a microprocessor configured to generate a message based on the at least one configuration instruction. The system further includes a routing device configured to communicate the message to a sensory device of the vehicle according to a virtual identifier associated with a local area network routing configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A device configuration system for configuring sensors that sense observable conditions of a vehicle, the system comprising:
 a computer readable storage medium that stores at least one configuration instruction, the at least one configuration instruction includes a location of the vehicle and an associated virtual identifier of a virtual area routing configuration; 
 a microprocessor configured to broadcast a message based on the at least one configuration instruction; and 
 a routing device configured to directly communicate the broadcasted message to at least one of the sensors of the vehicle according to the local area network routing configuration associated with the virtual identifier to configure the sensor. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the routing device comprises at least one port that is communicatively coupled to the sensor. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the microprocessor is further configured to generate the message based on the at least one port. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising the sensory device, wherein the sensor receives the message via a port that is communicatively coupled to the routing device. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , wherein the sensor further comprises a microprocessor configured to process the message to determine the configuration instruction. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the microprocessor of the sensor is further configured to determine a location within the vehicle from the configuration instruction. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the microprocessor of the sensor is further configured to configure the sensor based on the location. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual identifier is associated with a local area network associated with a port of the routing device. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 8 , wherein a vehicle local area network protocol of the local area network is an Ethernet network protocol. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer readable storage medium stores a plurality of configuration instructions, wherein the microprocessor is configured to broadcast a plurality of messages based on the plurality of configuration instructions, and wherein the routing device is configured to communicate each of the broadcasted messages to one of a plurality of sensors of the vehicle according to virtual identifiers associated with the local area network routing configuration. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the routing device comprises a plurality of ports, each port communicatively coupled to one of the plurality of sensors, and wherein the routing device is configured to communicate the messages to the plurality of the sensors via the plurality of ports. 
     
     
       12. A device configuration system for configuring a sensor that senses observable conditions associated with a vehicle, the system comprising:
 a port of the sensor configured to receive a message communicated from a vehicle local area network based on a virtual identifier associated with the vehicle local area network; and 
 a microprocessor of the sensor configured to process the message to determine a configuration instruction, and to configure a location of the sensor within the vehicle based on the configuration instruction. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the vehicle local area network is an Ethernet network. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the port is associated with the vehicle local area network that is associated with the virtual identifier. 
     
     
       15. A process for configuring a plurality of sensors that sense observable conditions of a vehicle, the process comprising:
 selecting, by a microprocessor, a first configuration instruction that includes a location of the vehicle; 
 selecting, by the microprocessor, a first virtual identifier based on a local area network routing configuration; 
 broadcasting a communication message based on the first configuration instruction and the first virtual identifier; 
 transmitting, by a router, the communication message to a first sensor via a first port. 
 
     
     
       16. The process of  claim 15 , wherein the first sensor receives the communication message via port of the first sensor communicatively coupled to the first port.